Machine for counting and stacking rigid or semi-rigid flat objects



March 4, 1958 s. oB s 2,825,475

MACHINE FOR COUNTING AND STACKING RIGID OR SEMI-RIGID FLAT OBJECTS Filed Feb. 5, 1954 3 Sheeps-Sheet 1 r a; f4 /fl I ll I ll Il I l l g 8 M if I i j/ F 4 f if Z6 l i 1 w 1 March 4, 1958 s. ROBERTS 2,325,475

MACHINE FOR coum" AND STACKING RIGID 0R SEMIRIGID FLAT OBJECTS Filed Feb. 5, 1954 s Sheets-Sheet 2 March 4, 1958 D. s. ROBERTS 2,825,475

MACHINE FOR COUNTING AND STACKING RIGID OR SEMI-RIGID FLAT OBJECTS Filed Feb. 5,1954 s Sheets-Sheet s United States Patent MACHINE FOR COUNTING AND STACKING RIGID OR SEMI-RIGID FLAT OBJECTS Deering S. Roberts, Marshfield, Mess.

Application February 5, 1954, Serial No. 408,342

3 Claims. (Cl. 214-6) This invention relates to a machine for counting and stacking slab-like pieces of rigid or semi-rigid sheet material delivered to it in succession, the machine being for the most part actuated by the weight of the work-pieces which it receives. By utilizing the force of gravity a comparatively simple and inexpensive machine is produced which is reliable and effective in Operation.

In the manufacture of certain articles of building material such as fabricated siding, roofing and the like, the product is delivered from the machine in a rapid succession of similar pieces which have to be counted and stacked so as to be made up into uniform packages for shipment. It is an object of the invention to provide a machine having a simple mechanical counting mechanism controlled by the work-pieces themselves and operated by the weight of the work-pieces to collect orderly stacks of predetermined numbers and to discharge the stacks quickly when completed so as to make way for the building of the next stack. For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following description thereof and to the drawings, of which:

Figure l is a plan view of a machine embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same;

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3--3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a section on the line 44 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a section on the line 55 of Figure 3 on an enlarged scale:

Figure 6 is a section on the line 66 of Figure 4, on an enlarged scale; and V Figure'7 is a side view of the mechanism shown in Figure 6.

The machine illustrated on the drawings is designed to handle slab-like articles, for example, rectangular pieces of such material as asbestos siding or the like, which pieces are delivered edgewise in succession from the machine by which they are made, such delivery being efiected'by an endless conveyor 20, supported by a frame 22.. In the mechanism illustrated on the drawings the work-pieces are carried by the conveyor with their long dimension extending across the conveyor. This conveyor delivers the work-pieces one by one to a short conveyor 24 which as indicated in Figure 1, consists of a plurality of relatively narrow belts spaced apart, three such belts being illustrated. These belts pass around suitable rolls 26 carried by shafts 28 which are journalled in suitable bearings on a main frame 30. The conveyor 24 is adapted to be constantly driven during the operation of the machine by any suitable means such as an electric motor 32 (Figure 4) connected by suitable power transmission means to one of the shafts 28.

The work-pieces which are advanced by the conveyor 24 are delivered at a loading station onto a pair of support elements 34 which may be in the form of shelves arranged to underlie the end portions of the work-pieces and thus support them. A pair of shelves 34 are initially located at the loading station at a level slightly below that of the bearing surface of the conveyor 24 so that the 'ice first work-piece to be delivered thereto by the conveyor passes over a supporting and guiding roller 36 and travels across this pair of shelves until its leading edge hits a pair of fixed stops 38. The shelves are then lowered by means hereinafter described a distance equal to the thickness of a work-piece. Thus the work-piece on the shelves is thereupon located at such a level that its top surface is ready to receive the next successive work-piece from the conveyor 24. The shelves are lowered in this manner each time a work-piece is received thereon until the predetermined number have been stacked. The shelves are then quickly lowered out of the way and replaced by another set of shelves in position to receive the first workpiece for a new stack.

Each of the shelves 34 of this pair are one of a series of similar shelves carried by endless conveyors which are vertically arranged in parallel spaced relation and comprise belts or chains 40 which pass around sprocket wheels 42 supported on the vertical stretches (Figure 3), the inner stretches supporting series of horizontal shelves 34 right side up, the outer stretches supporting shelves 34 in inverted position. When a complete stack of workpieces has been accumulated on a pair of the shelves, they are lowered by the weight of the work-pieces thereon, and the next shelves in the series move into place substantially on a level with the conveyor 24. The shelves on the inner stretches of chain are maintained at a constant distance from each other by fixed vertical guide rails 44 (Figures 3 and 4) which are engaged by rollers 46. Two of these rollers are mounted on eachof the arms 48 which connect the shelves 34 with the chains 40. The rollers on each arm 48 are at different levels so that they serve also to maintain the shelves on the inner stretches of the chain in horizontal positions.

I The step-by-step descent of the shelves 34 is controlled by mechanism illustrated in Figures 5, 6 and 7. As each work-piece is advanced by the conveyor 24 it strikes a finger 50 which normally projects slightly above the level of the conveyor. When the trailing edge of the workpiece passes the finger 5% the release of the latter closes a micro-switch 52. The switch remains closed until the circuit in which the switch is connected is broken else where as hereinafter described, whereupon the switch 52 opens. The circuit (not shown) includes a source of electric energy and a solenoid 54. The armature 56 of the solenoid is connected to a lever 58 which includes a pawl 60 normally engaging one of a series of teeth 62 on the periphery of a ratchet disk 64. The disk is mounted on a shaft 66 which extends across the machine (Figure 4) and carries two bevel gears 68 which mesh with larger bevel gears 70. The latter are mounted on shafts 72 on which are also mounted the lower sprocket wheels 42. The weight of the work-pieces carried by shelves 34 tends to rotate the sprocket wheels 42 and therefore tends to rotate the ratchet disk 64 through the gearing 68 and 79. Hence when a work-piece closes the switch 52 to energize the solenoid, the lever 58 is rocked about its pivot 74 to retract the pawl 60 momentarily from the ratchet 64 allowing the ratchet disk to rotate.

As'soon as thepawl is retracted, the electric circuit'is' broken by means hereinafter described and the lever 58 5 is at once rocked back by a compressed spring 76 so that the pawl engages the next tooth on the ratchet wheel. The teeth are so spaced that the rotation of the wheel to bring the next successive tooth against the pawl 60 lowers the shelves 34 a distance equal to the thickness of a workpiece. A complete revolutlon of the ratchet wheel moves each pair of shelves to the positions previously occupied 7' thatrwhenithe pawl 60' rides onthe smooth arc the a the p ot 4 :c n' a 96 to cushion the blow.

a edges with the edges of the work-pieces hei 1611106 is mountedbeneath the guide- :911 3 tripped t'he finger 50; the neat l eeiprrmiation"of 58 causes the pawl tofen gag e on the arcuate ie oration 18 of"; the disk '64! The wheel then turns 'qulckly until the pawl 60 is engaged by-thefirsttooth 2' of"the ise'ries {theadisk as the {loaded shel-ves descend to; move 'the n'extfpair into "position to receive work-pieces from the eonveyor zlg in orderto ease the descent of, the loaded V V shelves when thepawlfiil rides onjithe arcuate edge por remainder of the edge being a smooth-are as-at-78. -When the pawl fiflrhas thus en? 1 gaged in succe'ssionall of the'teeth 62, that is; when the predetermined numbers o f worlg-piecesfor a stacli have thejlever V vides :weight for the operation ofthe shelves while thef stack above it is being builtnp I claim:. 1. A machine for stackinigslab-like articles in 'grl ou'ps V 'of predetermined numbers, whichfcomprisesvertically movable support means adapted to receive successive articles thereon, means for supplying articlesin succes -V V 7 sion to said support means, an Velectrietswitch arranged to e a ed and then disengaged bye-each said article-i titan- 78; the shaft 6 6Q carries a crank. member 81); having;

"ms 86 "communicates with the open air; through a small ime y a od 8 1% piston 86 T a to the number of articles to be grouped'in'a stack; 'a pawl] hole 92. The crank 80 is angulariyrelated 51 h; arcu- I as anem Figure? The airbelow the piston is 69511 @SSCiEHtTQffh seems; f A furthen-cushionis provided by 1 o n ns h e e p t na'p unger 4 which is p sedpw r to its no ma Po i as hown n'Figur 7,

by a sprin'g 96 ,--the upward movement of'the-plunger'being V limited by a shoulder 98.." If therfirst toothpfthe series a ed sk 64 e p 64? too hardaft' r th lpawl h travelled r h r 'f r e pl nge 94 whichjca'rrlies yield against 'thep essnr of thespring 'Whenever'the finger 50 is "ocked' and released by'a work-piece, the switch 52 closes 1116 iI itausing the solenoid 54 to rockflthe pawl leveriss a5 hereinbefore d i d, T m n c thsilev ralscbpens anon mallyclosed switch 100 by means of an actuating ever rocked by alcam; 104 which ist fpfil't-ofjth'e pawl lever- 158 The opening of the circuit allows the spring, 7610i rock the lever 58back so that the pawl 60 againlcng esthe acu'ratelywith one another so, that the sides .Of the. stack will be'true. When the Workpieces aredischarg IQtii sufl'ife'ientaforceto rebound slightly. In ordesrto ali w 7, ,a. tie the dis tance th y r' e h yare i biei e hiuhesteps. 38 with' f he 1 l 6 r m he ns 8'bei s'ius equ lte' hc. a a width Ora work-piece. To align the end ec l gs of the V work-pieces, two rolls 108 are :mounted'on 'theiinain" frame at'the'sam'e level 'as'th'e truing roll 106; 1. Th' iolls i 7 108 'artspa ced apart a'distance just'equal tof'thelong I v "dimension of'a'workn-piec'e. As the shelves carrying the."

a growing stack descend; the work-pieces movesucces's'ively downbetweenthe' roll 106,"the stops 38 and, the tollsflOS- are thusmov'ed' into registry; with thework-piecesfbelow;

V "As: indicatediin Figured; when a pair of shelveshav;

received theifull number'o f work-pieces for astaelgitheyl 'mo've-down to anintermediate position and are replaced.

' at'gth'e 'ree'eii/ing level by then extpair of shelve' f1 the intermediate; position 'theyjeventua'lly maven dbjwnto V the; Stacie-releasingposition wherein the shelves are slightly f below'the le'vel'ofa discharge conveyor llorwhjchis' ojnl stantly driven, The stack is thus-deposited on the .cdnaw y a esta k: ext abevemqvcs i ill l i il i P OQ-1 is l tter "stac slprcj- "From 7 pressed a'nd"aetsj'as'a cushion or dash-pottoicheckthe cus q i g h imp ct f aidlipa l'against the HI. 7 of saidseries when it isshifted thereto from j con yorsyer ically 1 arran efclat othesani: l vels as the orrespo ding lements 'disk 6 and also causes the 'switchjSZfto o'p'en'so"thatthe eircuit'then remains open until thenXt \vdr'lg piece rqcks 7 by to'shjft said pawl 'from'one tooth to the trically controlled means jincludingja' stituting pairs adapted the loaded rsuppo ft elements-means controlled it proac ng i nes ation to? oper t ai hot ingx no m ly g g n vone o ,v a t ethi a d/e e trically 76 trolled means for retracting. saidipawlrno'mentaril y "her ,orm V 11010 7 switch in'series with;the.firt said witch dope able 1 by'movement-of said pawlfout f g g m m w" aid ratchetteeth; ii a a Y 2. A machine as in claim igandi means" r i gresnienuji f t e t tooth QfSH laSEI i a v a a A m ch ne fores ackina sl b li e r i le in. pups;

o p edete m ned number's ivhich comprises-two d in. Prallfl sna d wan 'r stretch. of, n bpn teiq a er ical stretch upp rt el m n s; Projecting from each said, '1' 1' w ne; 7 nfants 7 qn-th othen the'support elementslonesaidgvertiealstretches on v {to snp d tks a rrlikemic posited thereomtmeans fur -depositing a slab-lik cle on we "of saidipairsttat a1'loading station; means nfoi holding, said conveyors: 'against jdownwiard ;moyement{of; yiartiele with a 'verti stretcheseachihavinga' plurality ofsaid supPiQ'rt means, intermittently to'relea se said conveyorstqbqmbved f predetermineddistances by the weight o fiarticlesflnimmc a;

ot said supp rt elemen s, said h ldinggmeans comprise i ing a ratchet disk having a series of teethequal-iignumherto thenumhetot articl s to bestackqdinareupgisaid V series offlte eth extendingpart .way around ..'thepl.cilm- V terence of: said' disk-, a "pawl normally engagingioneiiof i hd a 1il' fir i b itqretramsaidzpawI a '1 m men arilytoshift said paw fromone-toeth toithe next; Q

a i e e r o tro led; m ns "includinga'eireuithav;

ingsaidsolenoid connected therein, 'aswitcl'i operable :15 le r a n i npdrtmeans. Lto unseen-aim n .l

c i rmean op ra yre rv c iv' mo ernent of said pawl r 1 to open said;cir ;uit and ;;means automatically. nre'moizingfrom each said pair arriving Tat the deliverylfstationslthe V articlescarriedthereby; 7 1.

2,612,983" lA'lden 

